Universal T-cell therapy for treating severe aGVHD

A Study of Universal CNK-UT Cell Injection in Patients With Refractory Acute Graft-versus-host Disease

This study is testing a new type of T-cell therapy to see if it can help people with severe acute graft-versus-host disease who haven't responded to standard treatments after a stem cell transplant.

Quick facts

• Phase: Phase 1
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 23 (estimated)
• Ages: 14 Years to 70 Years
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University (Academic / other)
• Locations: 2 sites (Fuzhou, Fujian and 1 other locations)
• Trial ID: NCT06750133 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This pilot study evaluates the safety and effectiveness of engineered universal T-cells with chimeric natural killer receptors (CNK-UT) in patients suffering from steroid-refractory or steroid-dependent acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. It is a single-arm, open-label, multi-center trial that aims to assess pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the treatment. Participants will receive the CNK-UT therapy and will be monitored for their response and any adverse effects.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are individuals aged 14-70 with grade II-IV steroid-refractory or steroid-dependent aGVHD after stem cell transplantation.

Not a fit: Patients with grade I aGVHD or those who are not steroid-refractory may not benefit from this therapy.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this therapy could provide a new treatment option for patients with difficult-to-treat aGVHD.

How similar studies have performed: While there have been studies on T-cell therapies for aGVHD, the specific use of CNK-UT is a novel approach.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Aged 14-70 years, male or female;
2. Participants diagnosed with grade II\~IV steroid-refractory/resistant or steroid-dependent aGVHD after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
3. ECOG physical status score 0\~3;
4. Estimated life expectancy \> 12 weeks;
5. Female participants of childbearing age must undergo a serum or urine pregnancy test before enrollment, and the results must be negative, and agree to take acceptable measures to minimize the possibility of pregnancy during the trial; For female participants of childbearing age or male participants whose sexual partners are women of childbearing age, effective contraceptive measures should be taken during the study and for at least 6 months following the last dose of the study cells infusion.
6. Participants voluntarily participate in clinical trial; Understand and know this study, sign an informed consent form, and be willing to follow all experimental procedures.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Suffering from malignant tumors or diagnosed within 5 years before enrollment, excluding radical skin basal cell carcinoma, skin squamous cell carcinoma, thyroid cancer, breast cancer (ductal carcinoma in situ) and / or radical resection of carcinoma in situ.
2. Participants with a history of organ transplantation;
3. Participants who have previously undergone more than one allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
4. Uncontrolled hypertension as determined by principal investigator, a history of hypertensive crisis or hypertensive encephalopathy; symptomatic congestive heart failure (New York Heart Association classification III-IV); symptomatic or poorly controlled arrhythmias; a history of congenital long QT syndrome or a corrected QT interval (QTc) \> 500 ms at screening (calculated using the Fridericia method)..
5. Systemic diseases deemed unstable by principal investigator include, but are not limited to, severe pulmonary, hepatic, renal, or metabolic disorders that require pharmacological intervention (excluding complications related to allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation).
6. Active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB), who is receiving anti-tuberculosis treatment or has received anti-tuberculosis treatment within 1 year before enrollment; human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, known syphilis infection.
7. Severe infections that are active or poorly controlled clinically.
8. Participants who have received treatment from other clinical trials within 12 weeks prior to the initiation of the study.
9. Participants who have previously used any gene therapy products prior to the initiation of the study.
10. Allergic to components of CNK-UT injection.
11. Participants suffer from known mental or substance abuse disorders, which may interfere with their ability to comply with research requirements.
12. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, as well as male or female participants who have planned for birth within 1 year after receiving medication.
13. Uncontrolled/uncorrectable metabolic disorders or other non-malignant organ diseases or systemic diseases or secondary reactions to cancer, which can lead to higher medical risk and/or uncertainty in survival assessments.
14. Other situations that the participant is identified by the investigator as unsuitable to participate in the study.

Where this trial is running

Fuzhou, Fujian and 1 other locations

• First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University — Fuzhou, Fujian, China (Recruiting)
• The first affiliated hospital of zhejiang university, school of medicine. — Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China (Recruiting)

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: He Huang, PHD — First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University
• Study coordinator: Li Luo, MD

Conditions Acute Graft-versus-Host Disease; CNK-UT cell; aGVHD; allo-HSCT; steroids refractory; cellular therapy